Finding Adventure at the Lost Sea

Where is the Lost Sea Adventure? 

Exploring The Lost Sea

I have always enjoyed visiting caves. Each cave has its own wonders to explore, its own unique ways of standing out. However, few caves have quite so many ways to stand out as the Lost Sea Adventure!  

From prehistoric fossils and Civil War history to the Lost Sea itself, these caverns are filled with fascinating history and geology!

The Largest Underground Lake in America – The Lost Sea

The Lost Sea Adventure is easily the headlining item here, as getting the chance to ride a boat around an enormous underground lake is a fairly uncommon experience. 

The lake is located around 140 ft below the surface, deep inside the cave, but my family didn’t find the walk to be too strenuous. Plus, the scenery on the way down is pretty amazing! 

The Lost Sea is a large, freshwater lake located 140 feet beneath the ground’s surface. Its visible surface area (400 ft x 220 ft) makes it the largest underground lake in America and the second-largest in the world, but no one knows how large it actually is. 

Underwater passageways below the surface branch off from the main body of the lake, extending back hundreds of feet into the darkness of the cave. No one has yet been able to explore them though, since the bubbles caused by scuba gear could be dangerous. That means there’s no telling how much water is actually down there!

Read a first-hand account of a cave diver’s explorations of the Lost Sea. 

The boat ride itself is fairly short. We spent right around 15 minutes in the boat in all. The boats use a low-powered engine to prevent stirring up silt in the water, meaning they can’t move any faster than about 1-2 mph, but that’s perfect because it gives you plenty of time to admire the fish!

Large rainbow trout were introduced to the lake in an attempt to see if the lake had an outlet somewhere. If it does, the trout have yet to find it, so the lake remains filled to the brim with them.      

A National Landmark – Anthodites

Interestingly, while the Lost Sea is what gets Craighead Caverns into the Guinness Book of World Records, it isn’t what earned them their National Landmark status. That honor goes to the cave’s anthodites.

Anthodites are rare geological features found in relatively few caves worldwide. They are commonly called “cave flowers” because their needle-like spikes radiate out from a central point, much like the petals of a flower. 

Because anthodites are a fairly rare cave feature, the large numbers of them that can be found in the Lost Sea Caves earned their National Natural Landmark status in 1973. You can also spot anthodites in places like Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, Skyline Caverns in Virginia, or in Wind Cave in South Dakota, though they call them “frostwork” there! 

What else is on the Basic Cave Tour?

The Lost Sea and the anthodites are definitely the headliners here, but even without them, the caverns have tons of interesting sights to see! 

Stalactites/ Stalagmites

Anthodites may be a rare cave feature, but they are far from the only formation in the caverns. As with many caves, stalactites and stalagmites can be seen all over the cave. Each one adds its own unique shape to the cave’s overall beauty, making a landscape quite unlike anything you can find above ground.   

Waterfall

The water that fills the Lost Sea had to come from somewhere. While we probably haven’t discovered all the different sources that feed it, one of its sources is a waterfall that you can see along the pathway down! 

Compared to its above-ground cousins, this waterfall isn’t all that large, but it’s pretty cool to see one so far underground!

Darkness

All the paths that you can visit on the basic tour are well lit by modern lights, but caves have the potential to be some of the darkest places on Earth. If you’ve ever wondered what complete darkness feels like, then wonder no more.

Each tour group is given the chance to experience total darkness firsthand, about midway through the tour. But don’t worry, the guides give plenty of warning before switching off the lights!  

Grand Canyon

One of the largest formations in the cave is a split along its bottom. It’s a large enough break that it looks almost like a small canyon! 

While the cave’s “Grand Canyon” pales in comparison to the one in Arizona, it is still a pretty impressive cave feature, with a beauty all its own. 

Cave History 

One thing that sets these caverns apart from other caves you can visit is just how much history they have. They have had a large natural entrance for thousands of years, and many of its residents have left their marks over the years. 

Your cave guide will be sure to point out the many different historical features in the cave as you journey through, but if you’d like more details ahead of time, I’ve also included some of the more interesting points of the Caverns’ history down below! 

What is on the Wild Cave Tour?

If you’re looking to go a bit deeper on your cave experience, the Lost Sea Adventure also offers a Wild Cave tour where you get to take your cave adventure to the next level. 

Wild Caving

The biggest difference between the Basic tour and the Wild Cave tour is which areas of the cave you get to experience. The rooms and passages you get to experience with the Wild Cave tour are harder to get to, requiring you to squeeze through smaller sections. 

Instead of coming into the cave through the man-made entrance in the visitor’s center, Wild Cave tours start at the caverns’ original natural entrance and make their way down through the cave the long way. 

Wild Caving is about getting your hands dirty and experiencing the cave away from the brighter passages! It’s challenging, but also lots of fun! 

Overnight in the Cave (optional)

The Wild Cave tour has both a day trip and an overnight option, where you can stay the night in one of the cave’s natural rooms. Sleeping in the cave means roughing it for the night, as you will basically be camping out. Hard floors and cool temperatures (58 °F) are the norm. 

If that sounds like fun, it’s definitely worth checking out! 

The Big Room

The Big Room is one of the first and largest natural rooms in the cave and is also where the overnighters will spend their night. It also has a pretty unique history, as this is the room where the Cavern Tavern set up in 1947. 

The Jaguar room

One of the oldest signs of life in the cavern, a large jaguar wandered into this room thousands of years ago, and never wandered out again! 

The jaguar’s pawprints can still be seen in the stone floor of the cave, though its bones have been moved to the Museum of Natural History in New York. This is one of the more popular rooms that you can’t see on the Basic Tour.   

What should I bring on my trip?

As far as supplies go, not much is required for the Basic tour. 

Good, non-slip shoes are important since caves tend to have slippery parts, and I liked having my jacket for the chilly 58 °F atmosphere. Add to that a camera that can handle low-light settings and you should be good to go! 

• non-slip shoes
• light jacket
• camera, or phone

The Wild Cave tour, on the other hand, requires a bit more preparation. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes that you wouldn’t mind getting torn or dirty. Bring a flashlight and spare batteries, and if you’re spending the night, bring what you need for your night at camp. The Lost Sea Adventure guarantees that you’ll get dirty on your adventure, and suggests a clean change of clothes and wet wipes for getting cleaned up. But they handle the food, so there’s not much more than that!

• Comfy clothes you don’t mind destroying (no shorts!)
• A flashlight
• Spare batteries for your flashlight, just in case! (I like these rechargeable ones)
• A clean change of clothes
• Wet wipes
• A sleeping bag or mattress (overnight only)

Remember, anything you bring in with you needs to come back out when you leave! Pack light, and have fun!

What can you do on the surface?

Cave trips are mostly focused on what’s happening underground, but if you’re interested in making a day of it, there’s quite a bit to do in the area even after you get back to the surface.

Lost Sea Nature Trail

The Lost Sea Nature Trail is a short trail through the woods aboveground. It’s an easy walk where you can see some of the plants and animals common to the area, and worth it for a quick dose of sunshine after the cave tour. 

Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor

If the walk through the cave worked up your appetite, then you’re in luck. The Cavern Kitchen has real Tennessee BBQ on site! After you’ve had your lunch (or before. I’m not judging), there’s also an ice cream parlor where you can get yourself a sweet treat!  

The Shops

There are also a variety of unique shops to check out. The Lost Sea Adventure’s gift shop offers patches, postcards, and a variety of cave-themed gifts, but if you’re looking for something a bit more unique, be sure to check out the glassblower’s shop. Wishing wells and a gem mine where you can crack open your own geode fill out the roster of shops.

History of the Lost Sea at Craighead Caverns

Visiting caves can be a bit of a surreal experience at times. I love seeing the beauty that caves offer in the different geological formations you can see, but the Lost Sea Adventure also offers quite a bit of history for those who are interested!

The Cave’s First Visitor?

An estimated 20,000 years ago a giant Pleistocene jaguar found its way into the caverns and never found a way out again. 

Its bones sat in the darkness of the cave until they were discovered in 1939. Today, the bones are on display in New York, but visitors to the cave can still find plaster casts of its footprints in the visitor center!

The Cherokee Council Chamber

Long before any European settlers arrived in the area, the caves were used as a meeting place for local Native American tribes. In one of the larger rooms, now called the “Council Room,” many different Native American artifacts were discovered, including pottery shards, arrowheads, jewelry, and weapons! 

This room is more than a full mile away from the natural entrance, pointing to the idea that the Cherokee in the area explored the cave extensively. Chief Craighead, for whom the caverns are named, sold the caves to settlers in the 1800s. 

Civil War Era Mining and Graffiti

While there are few to no bats in the caves today, there once were enough bats present to create quite the mess. Bat guano was plentiful, and during the Civil War, in extremely high demand. The potassium nitrate, or saltpeter, found in in guano is a key ingredient in making gun powder. 

During the Civil War Era, Craighead Caverns became one of the key suppliers of saltpeter to the Confederate army, with an operation that refined thousands of pounds of it. Today, you can see a model of one of the collection bins used for getting the saltpeter, as well as names and dates inscribed into the walls by the miners who worked in the caverns.

Discovery of the Lost Sea

The Lost Sea was originally discovered in 1905 by a 13-year-old boy named Ben Sands. He was exploring the caverns one day during a particularly bad drought, and found a small, muddy tunnel at the bottom of the cave, and crawled through. 

He didn’t realize what he had found until he accidentally stepped into the water. 

Once he did realize that he had found an underwater lake, he tried to see how big it was by throwing mudballs as far into the darkness as he could, but the only sound that came back to him was the splashes of mud hitting water. 

Unfortunately, no one on the surface believed his story, and the lake remained hidden until its rediscovery in the 1950s!

Prohibition Era Moonshine

Between 1915 and 1925, Craighead Caverns’ owner, George Kyle, tried various business models for the cave, including hosting cock-fighting rings, distilling moonshine, and opening a speakeasy. None of these businesses were particularly successful, though, and at some point in the 30s, ownership passed on to W.E. Michael.

Mushroom Farm

During the early 40s, W.E. Michael tried a number of different business ideas on for size. The cave’s dark atmosphere and cool temperatures made mushroom farming a possibility, and mushrooms were grown here for a time. It turned out not to be especially profitable, however, and was soon stopped. 

The Cavern Tavern

In 1947, the caves were once again opened to the public as a dance hall called the Cavern Tavern. The main draw was a large dance floor in the Big Room of the caverns, as well as a bar. However, the cooler temps and difference in air pressure meant that patrons didn’t feel the effects of alcohol until they were walking up the steps to leave. They would become intoxicated while walking up the stairs out of the cave, and more than a few would pass out! 

Needless to say, this was not ideal, and the Cavern Tavern closed just a few months after opening.

Cold War Era Supplies

The last major use for the caves before the rediscovery of the Lost Sea was as a Cold War-era bunker. Large stocks of water, food rations, and medical supplies were kept in the cave, filling up entire rooms. 

The caves would have been used as a bunker in case of an airstrike, but it was fortunately never needed. 

The Lost Sea Adventure

After the Lost Sea was rediscovered, W.E. Michael’s son, Van Michael, began development on what would become the experience you can see today. He raised funds for the development by inviting the residents of Monroe County to become investors, and many of them took him up on the offer. Eventually, the McCord family bought out the other investors, and today their family runs the Lost Sea Adventure.  

Geology Learning Resources for a Trip to a Cave

• Grow your own Stalactite! (NPS.gov)
• Materials for teachers (National Caves Association)
• Exploring Caves: Teaching Packet for K-3 (USGS)